Consumers in modern society are facing an ever-increasing cost of living. The cost of energy is near the top of the list among the highest costs that consumers must deal with. In the home, a conventional clothes dryer can consume a large amount of energy, as much or more than a refrigerator. This consumption of energy occurs despite the fact that a clothes dryer does not operate constantly, as a refrigerator does. The modern consumer is also faced with more demands on his or her time. A clothes dryer that would provide significant cost and time savings would clearly be a boon to the modern consumer.